


What Was Missing

by DreamcatcherMemories



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Female Character, Dysfunctional Family, F/F, F/M, Family Drama, Family Fluff, Fate, Female Characters, Female Friendship, Female Homosexuality, Female Relationships, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Once Upon a Time (TV) References, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Slow Burn, Swan-Mills Family, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-09
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-07-22 11:58:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7437697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamcatcherMemories/pseuds/DreamcatcherMemories
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma Swan is a missing persons detective, known to go to extremes to find her target and reunite them with their families, all while searching for her missing son tirelessly for over a decade. But when she winds up jobless on her birthday, the feisty woman online who's been trying to help find her missing child tries to cheer her up, Emma makes a quick decision that changes both their lives, bringing her closer to the family she's always wanted, and her missing son, than either woman ever predicted.</p><p>AU swanqueen, starts at same time of season 1. I do not own the characters of Once Upon a Time, only this story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Birthday Blues

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, readers! This is my second swanqueen fic, but I couldn't write the next chapter of my first one out without writing this one down. Just in case it's not clear, the words in italics are a flashback. I hope you enjoy it and please leave me any comments--good or bad--, suggestions, or advice! Happy reading!

* * *

 

Excerpt:

> No sooner had she blown out the candle, a ping echoed throughout the apartment. Plucking the candle from the sugary folds, she tossed it into the sink, taking the sweet with her over to her laptop, one eyebrow quirked with curiosity. Plopping down in from of the screen, she rubbed her free hand over the touchpad, the computer springing to life as she bit ungracefully into the cupcake, icing smearing across her cheek. Someone had instant messaged her, the window blinking at the bottom of the screen.

* * *

 

“Damnit!” Emma shouted in frustration as she desperately tried, and failed, to keep her coffee from sloshing all over her hands from suddenly being jerked backwards. Hissing at the scalding liquid running over her fingers, she shook her free hand to try and alleviate some of the burning. Practically snarling, she ripped the corner of her red leather jacket free from where it had gotten caught in her car door. Running her fingers through her loose blonde curls, she tried to calm herself, only to groan in frustration when her fingers became knotted in her hair as she remembered the drying coffee on her fingers. “This is just _not_ my day!”

Locking her car, she stepped up onto the curb and turned right to head towards the front door of her apartment building, grumbling in frustration. The busy sounds of Boston’s downtown traffic continued to rush around her as she stared up at the large glass windows that she knew belonged to her apartment. The doorman waved and offered a kind smile to her, but she took no notice, a million thoughts running through her mind from when her day turned just as sour as the shitstorm that she’d begun to call her life.

_“Detective Swan, please report to Sherriff Humbert’s office immediately,” the voice of the precinct’s secretary crackled over the loudspeaker. “Detective Swan, to the Sherriff’s office. Thank you.”_

_“Shiiiiiit.”_

_Emma ran her hands down her face and suppressed a groan. She knew exactly what she was being called into the big gun’s office for, as did everyone else sitting around her at their respected desks. She could feel their eyes on her. Some, like Officer Keaton, were probably looking at her with sympathy. Others, like Detectives Johnson, Wilkins, and Miller, were probably the ones sniggering like that damn Draco Malfoy and his little hench-friends in Emma’s favorite book series. But the resigned sigh mixed with exasperation? That was Detective Glass, her “partner.”_

_Emma didn’t_ do _partners. Not anymore. She preferred to work alone, less messy that way, and to be honest, that’s how she spent most of her entire life up to this point: alone. She was good at it, thrived in it, and no matter how many times they tried to assign her a new one, that simple fact was never going to change. Emma was better off alone._

_The only time she had thought she was content to be around others was when she was 17. Neal, that was his name. He had swept her off her feet in the most unexpected way; like a thief in the night. In fact, he had been a thief, and he taught Emma how to be one, too, which is what had excited her about him. He could take her away from the boring life of an unwanted orphan girl, make her forget that her foster mother had about seven other kids and no time for her, and make her feel wanted, loved, special. He took her virginity, and protected her on the streets, and when she found out she was pregnant, she couldn’t wait to tell him so they could start a little family of their own. Neal had been happy when she told him, but scared out of his mind. The heat was beating down on him for a series of petty crimes, and he knew if he got caught, he’d end up leaving Emma behind to raise their baby on her own, whilst he sat in a jail cell. He couldn’t do that to her, so he struck a deal with the police, his pardon in exchange for information on his gang leader’s whereabouts._

_Emma’s foster mother kicked her out, calling her a whore over her pregnant state, but Neal had made it alright, finding them an old loft in an abandoned building. He worked for days, doing odd jobs to scrape together some money to buy tools and supplies to fix up the small loft and insulate it for Boston’s brutal winter winds. Emma found a job at a local coffee shop, earning minimum wage and tips to help put some food on the table, and the couple kept all their appointments with the local free clinic. Everything had been going fine, until Neal’s old gang leader found out who snitched on him and sent his old gang mates after him. With fear in his eyes, Neal left Emma alone for a few days, trying to shake his old friends and keep them from finding out about Emma and the baby and harming them to get to him. When Emma went into early labor, she went through it alone, crying afterwards right along with her newborn son. She had returned to the loft a few days later with their unnamed baby boy, not wanting to choose a name without Neal there, but when she got outside the building, two shadowed figures had been waiting for her. They ripped at her clothes, stole what little food and money she had, and a busted lip and black eye sent her slipping into unconsciousness in the gutter with the trash from the street. The police had found her the next morning, but she was alone; they had taken her baby. It was then Emma vowed to never let anyone in so completely ever again._

_Sighing and standing up, she shot Detective Glass a wan smile and turned towards the hall that led to the Sherriff’s office, the heels of her boots clicking on the worn, tiled linoleum floors. This was not the first time she’d been called to the Sherriff’s office. Emma Swan had a special way she went about her detective work, and by that, it meant she did what she wanted to get the job done. It was crass, but it’s how she did it, so this hallway had seen her do this walk of shame countless times. Stopping in front of the heavy wooden door with the word SHERRIFF emblazoned across the nameplate, she knocked three times before poking her head through the door._

_“You wanted to see me, Sherriff?”_

_“Come in, Swan.”_

_She closed the door behind her and plopped down in her usual seat by the window, not quite directly across from the Sherriff’s desk, but a little to the side so she could survey the room and keep from fidgeting under his scrutinizing gaze._

_Sherriff Graham Humbert was a kind man, easy on the eyes, and when it came to Emma, easy on the punishments. They had completed the Academy together, and Graham was the first partner Emma ever had, and the only one she never pushed away. He was her best friend, and when he got promoted, it didn’t change that; just made it infinitely more complicated. Emma propped her feet upon the edge of his desk, leaning back in her chair and folding her hands in her lap, waiting._

_“Emma,” Graham sighed, quirking an eyebrow at her boots on his desk. “What happened with your latest case?”_

_“I solved it.”_

_“I’d hardly call the key witness_ and _the suspect in the hospital with serious injuries as job well done.”_

_Emma scoffed and looked away, irritation lighting up her green eyes. “I got the answers, didn’t I? We found the girl, and she’s safe with her mother now. Isn’t that what matters?”_

_He dragged his hands down his face in frustration. “Emma, yes, that’s great, but now we have two civil lawsuits against you and the precinct for assault and battery!”_

_“You know how I work! You know what I do! But I always deliver and you’ve only started having such a_ problem _recently!”_

_“It’s not recent, Emma!” He was standing now, his hands in his hair in frustration. “I’ve always been wary of your tactics, but ever since I became Sherriff, I can’t keep overlooking your mistakes!”_

_“....mistakes? Mistakes?! You sure didn’t think it was a mistake when I solved the Jenkins case last—“_

_“Enough, Emma! You can’t keep letting your personal feelings bleed into your career! Just because someone stole your child doesn’t mean every suspect is that evil! Doesn’t mean you get to disregard the rules just to solve a case! No matter what you do, if you don’t follow the law, there WILL be consequences, and no matter how many cases you solve, how many people you find, it’s not going to bring your son back!”_

_The silence that followed was deafening as the realization of what he’d just said sunk in. Staring across the space that separated them, all the color seemed to drain from his face and flush into hers. At some point during his rant she had joined him in standing, fists clenched tightly, jaw set hard, eyes blazing with barely controlled fury and immense pain. But she would not cry, not in front of him, not in front of anyone._

_Graham reached his hand out towards her and flinched when her eyes snapped towards his hand, her face contorting in disgust and warning. “Emm—“_

_“How_ dare _you.” Her voice was a low growl._

_“Emma, I’m sorry. I—I didn’t mean it.”_

_“How DARE you!”_

_“Swan, please. Let’s just be rational here—“_

_“Swan?!” Her fists were trembling at her sides._

_Graham sighed, closing his eyes. “Emma, let’s just give you some time to breathe. Maybe place you on leave, suspend your badge for a little while—“_

_“Suspend me?” Her eyes widened and she belted out a laugh, but it was far from humorous. “You know what,_ Sherriff Humbert _, I’ll do you one better.” She plastered on a smile, unhooking the badge from her belt loops and tossing it onto his desk, then pulling her keys out of her pocket and taking off the precinct key and the access key card, ignoring his stuttering protests. Finally, she took her gun and holster from her hip, checking that it was still in safety before tossing it onto the desk with a loud clunk that made him wince. “I quit.”_

_“Emma!”_

_She waved her hands at him in dismissal, turning swiftly on her heel and wrenching the door open, nearly ripping it off the hinges. Mouth set in a grim line, eyes blazing, hands shaking from anger, she strutted down the hallway and out the back door of the station, ignoring the loud bang of his office door slamming into the wall from the force of her exit, and the shouts of her name echoing off the walls behind her._

Gritting her teeth and forcing a small smile at the doorman, she stepped through the glass doors of her apartment building and made her way to the elevators, swiping her access card and stepping inside as they slipped open soundlessly. Taking in the rich décor she never gave a shit about before, she wondered if this was maybe the last time she would be looking at it as a resident. Her apartment wasn’t as nice as some in Boston, in fact, most would consider it small, but as she stopped outside her door and looked at the numbers 205 and the words “ _Cast a Spell”_ written across it, she decided it had been big enough for her. It served its purpose, as a place to lay her head at night, but had never been home.

The thought didn’t bother her as much as it used to; Emma had begun to believe she’d never really find a home. A house, maybe, but never a home. Sighing, she dropped her keys in the bowl by the door and stepped inside, kicking off her boots and throwing her jacket across a chair before stepping to the kitchen to pour the rest of her coffee down the sink and toss out the paper cup, cleaning the remaining coffee from her sticky fingers. When she was finished, she opened the fridge and pulled out the box from a local bakery, placing it on the counter and opening it to reveal the cupcake she had bought herself from her birthday.

“Great idea, Swan. Quitting your job on your birthday.” Groaning, she slid her hand down the length of the kitchen counter, fingers curling around the small lighter she kept there next to some scented candles. “Damnit, I am so stupid.”

Placing the candle through the thick icing and into the cake below it, she depressed the lever on the lighter, hearing the scrape inside as the flame licked out, lighting the wick. Setting the lighter back onto the counter, she folded her arms on the cool tiles and leaned down, placing her head on her forearms and squeezing her eyes shut as she made the same wish she’d made every year for over ten years.

_Please let me find my son._

No sooner had she blown out the candle, a ping echoed throughout the apartment. Plucking the candle from the sugary folds, she tossed it into the sink, taking the sweet with her over to her laptop, one eyebrow quirked with curiosity. Plopping down in from of the screen, she rubbed her free hand over the touchpad, the computer springing to life as she bit ungracefully into the cupcake, icing smearing across her cheek. Someone had instant messaged her, the window blinking at the bottom of the screen.

 **MayorMills108:** Happy birthday, Miss Swan.

A small smirk twisted her lips while crumbs fell unnoticed from her chin. Setting the cake down, she quickly typed a response.

 **VolkswagenSwan205:** I don’t remember telling you my birthday, Madame Mayor.

 **MayorMills108:** Didn’t have to, Swan. When you sent me the missing persons file, obviously his mother’s birthdate would have been present amongst the paperwork.

Emma smirked again, knowing full well her birthday was not on the paperwork, she herself had gathered it together, so she could only assume that the woman had looked her up.

 **VolkswagenSwan205:** We both know full well that’s not the case. My my, Mayor Mills, have you been checking up on me?

She polished off her cupcake as she stared at the little message at the bottom of the screen that read “ _MayorMills108 is typing...”_ and wondered what kind of sarcastic remark she’d receive from the feisty woman. Emma had sent her and several other government officials a copy of the missing persons report on her son over the years, making them aware, and following up every so often to see if they had any new leads. Every year her search pool had gotten wider, and a few months ago, she had sent the Mayor of Storybrooke a copy as well. The difference this time is that the woman had replied back multiple times, sympathizing with Emma over her search, as she had an adopted son of nine, and latching onto her son’s case with a ferocity that was close to Emma’s, surprising the blonde, but making her grateful nonetheless. Over the short time they had known each other, they had become friends, checking in every few days though not always about the progress on the case. Emma knew many likes and dislikes of the woman, and she the same with Emma, and if the blonde was honest with herself, she often found herself flirting with the Mayor, smiling when she flirted back.

 **MayorMills108:** I always take the time to research things that have caught my interest.

The smile that lit up Emma’s face could have provided light for over half of Boston.

 **MayorMills108:** I daresay, you should give it a try sometime.

Emma’s breath hitched in her throat as her fingers hovered over the keyboard. She glanced around her apartment, taking in the loneliness that radiated through the space. The sounds of the busy Boston traffic rose up from the street, a plane flew in the distance, the arguing from the neighbors across the hall reaching a crescendo before falling silent, the sound of keys jingling down the hallway. The evidence of life existed all around her, moving forward and at a breakneck pace; so fast that if you blinked, you’d miss it. And all the while, Emma Swan sat in the middle of it, living alone and now jobless, carrying a torch for a decade old crusade that she’d never give up, while the world rushed forwards without her. Suddenly, the walls of her downtown apartment felt like they were closing in, the air in the room almost suffocating. Something needed to change, and if it wasn’t going to be her, it might as well be something she could control. Making a decision, she deleted the jumble of letters she’d accidentally pressed while thinking and typed out a single sentence that carried more weight than the brunette woman on the other end could possibly know.

 **VolkswagenSwan205:** I believe I’ll take you up on that challenge, Madame Mayor.

She didn’t even wait for a reply, closing her laptop and yanking the cord out of the wall before stepping to the hall closet and taking out her suitcases and moving boxes that she could never bring herself to throw out. It only took her an hour to pack up all of her belongings, save the food in the fridge and the furniture that had come with the apartment. Hauling it down to her old yellow VW bug, her belongings came to three suitcases, a large, medium, and small for toiletries, and five boxes, four in the backseat and one in the passenger seat. Slipping behind the wheel and pulling out into the seven o’clock traffic, Emma rested her phone on her thigh and pressed the circle button.

“Directions to Storybrooke, Maine.”

“ _Getting directions to Storybrooke, Maine.”_


	2. Golden Opportunity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so first, thank you all for the love on this story! Only one chapter in & I'm already feeling it. I appreciate it SO much. :)  
> Second, sorry it's late. Exams are this week, but hopefully when they are over I can write ahead of schedule too and maybe update more. Third, I know I said in the last chapter that Henry was 9 and that in season 1, he was 10. I did that on purpose. You'll see why later. I'm not sure how much I like this chapter, but this is what came out. I hope you guys like it. Drop me a comment and let me know what you think! All thoughts welcome :) Enjoy!

* * *

Excerpt:

> “Granny’s got ears like a wolf, I swear. She acts like she doesn’t care, but you better believe she hears _everything_.”
> 
> _Welp, making a mental note to_ not _cross the old woman._

* * *

 

 

Regina combed her fingers through her bangs, fluffing them up where they had begun to fall limply against her forehead. Glancing back through the windshield, she hit the brakes and slammed her hand down on the steering wheel, the horn blaring through the early morning air at the old, beat up, pickup truck that had abruptly cut her off.

“This thing is a monstrosity! How could you _not_ see me?!” she yelled, more to herself than anyone. She was highly irritated at this morning’s turn of events. She’d had to wake up two hours earlier to drive her car to the dealership in Portland for a routine checkup. Easy in and out. But the mechanic had noticed something off that he suggested she fix, and they’d give her a car to borrow until then. Unfortunately, the only car available was a GL 450—one of the largest SUVs they made—and Regina felt like she was driving a bus through the small streets of Storybrooke to the Town Hall.

_At least Henry’s visiting his grandparents, so I didn’t have to drag him into all this craziness today._

Thinking of her sweet boy made her heart clench in her chest. She missed him greatly, but he’d only left to visit with her parents a few days ago, and he wouldn’t be back until the end of next week. He took the trip every summer, riding horses on her parent’s farm like Regina did when she was a child, but as her job became more demanding, Regina was able to get away less and less. Yet, Henry understood, and she felt bad about being selfish and begrudging her parents’ time with their grandson. No, the nagging feeling in her mind wasn’t jealousy, it wasn’t even irritation at the morning. It was worry, with a touch of loneliness.

The night before, she had messaged her long-distance friend, Emma Swan, because it was her birthday. Regina’s eyes glanced at the passenger seat, where Emma’s present laid, before returning her eyes to the road. Usually when the two messaged, they’d talk for a long time, sometimes all night, but Emma had suddenly ceased in her responses just after giving a vague statement.

_“I believe I’ll take you up on that challenge, Madame Mayor.”_

Regina had been flirting with the blonde woman for a few weeks now, unashamed to admit it. She’d found herself interested in women after high school, breaking up with her high school sweetheart Daniel because, though they had dated for three years, they never got much past second base. Regina found that she wasn’t interested in him other than his heart and his mind, but sexually speaking, he had never done it for her; Not him or any other guy for that matter. She had thought her flirtations were being returned, but Emma’s abrupt silence caused her to doubt herself, if only a little. Regina frowned, _I do hope I haven’t freaked her out or anything._

Regina’s frown deepened when she pulled up at Granny’s diner, an old yellow VW Bug in her usual spot. There seemed to be a larger crowd at the diner that morning, the newcomer’s car sparking curiosity in the residents of this small, quiet town. The passenger’s door was open, the assumed owner’s backside sticking out the open doorway as they reached into the backseat for something. Regina took a moment to admire the woman’s ass and long, toned legs practically poured into dark wash skinny jeans and ending in tall, brown, calf boots.

A small smirk settled over Regina’s features before morphing into shock, mouth falling open as the stranger stepped back from her car and straightened up. A fair isle beanie sat atop her head, beautiful golden curls cascading from under it and over her shoulders, resting in stunning contrast to her thin white sweater and red leather jacket. As she turned around to hand a box to Ruby Lucas, the diner’s waitress and co-innkeeper, a smile adorned her pale, pink lips and her eyes were squinting against the early morning light.

Emma Swan was in Storybrooke.

Regina snapped her mouth shut as she watched Emma climb the small steps to the diner’s entrance, disappearing inside behind Ruby. A million thoughts and questions burned in her mind as she threw the monstrosity into drive, heading for her office on Main Street and casting glances at Emma’s present every few seconds, silently thankful she hadn’t had time to mail it off this morning. She parked the huge vehicle around back and got out, lip curling in disgust as she locked it. She entered the building through the backdoor and ascended the stairs to her office, smiling politely at Dorothy, her secretary, before heading into her office to start the day.

It wasn’t until her 9am conference call that she realized she’d never even gotten her coffee that morning.

* * *

 

“Ughhhh.” Ruby groaned, staring down at a notebook in front of Emma. Her elbow was propping her head up on her hand, and her breath burst past her lips, fluttering her bangs off her forehead. Emma chuckled at her new acquaintance. Despite having only met her last night, she had been very friendly, and Emma got the feeling she could be friends with this girl. Plus, she’d given her a free burger and fries, so yeah, she was definitely in Emma’s good books.

Ruby growled and swiped some fries off Emma’s plate. “Oh, stuff it, Em.” She smirked when Emma grunted in protest at the stolen food. “Ruby giveth and Ruby taketh away.”

Emma rolled her eyes, swallowing her mouthful of burger and waving her hand at the notebook on the counter. “What’s got you so cranky?”

Ruby sighed again, munching on the fries. “It’s the takeout orders for today. I have a big order I need to get ready and have over to the park by noon, a couple deliveries down at the docks, one to the convent, and the mayor’s office just called requesting her usual order of coffee.” Emma raised an eyebrow, noticing Ruby’s voice get a little higher when she said ‘mayor’s office.’

Ruby blushed. “My girlfriend is her receptionist.”

Emma smirked around her soda glass, giving a slight nod as she sipped. Ruby seemed to be waiting for her to say something else, so setting her glass down, she said “Aww, well that’s cool. You must really want to make that delivery, so you can see her, right?”

Ruby smiled at her before frowning again, the second half of Emma’s words settling in. “Yes, but I can’t! If I do see her, I won’t want to leave and I’ll get behind on the deliveries and Granny will _kill_ me.”

“You got that right.” Granny called from clear across the diner. Emma’s eyes widened, startled. She swung her eyes back to Ruby for some explanation, but the brunette just shrugged.

“Granny’s got ears like a wolf, I swear. She acts like she doesn’t care, but you better believe she hears _everything_.”

 _Welp, making a mental note to_ not _cross the old woman._

Emma just shook her head, returning her attention to her burger, frowning when she noticed another chunk of fries missing from her plate. She popped the last bite of her burger into her mouth, sucking down the last of her soda and pushing her plate at Ruby to surrender the rest of the salty food. “Can’t deny the woman makes good food though.” Granny grunted at her as she walked by, into the kitchen, and out of sight. Ruby just smirked at her, shaking her head at the old woman’s gruff attitude before returning to her notebook.

At Ruby’s third sigh, Emma spoke up. “You know, Red, I can take a couple of the deliveries off your hands if you want. You don’t even have to pay me, just let me keep the tips and maybe another free meal and I’ll be all set.”

Ruby’s eyes lit up as she grinned at her and quickly ripped off half the page with the delivery addresses, handing it over. “That’s a great idea, Emma! Thanks, and hey, while you’re at Town Hall, you can ask Dorothy about any job opportunities around town.”

Emma just nodded, distracted by the sudden possibility to meet Regina. She had actually thought of offering to take the Mayor’s order earlier but didn’t want to seem too eager, feigning nonchalance instead. When she arrived just after 11pm last night, she’d been attracted to the small bed and breakfast’s charm immediately. Ruby had been behind the counter, welcoming, if not a little surprised, upon seeing her and helped her carry a few things up to her room. Emma hadn’t told Ruby the reason why she’d just packed up her life and came to Storybrooke, and she hadn’t asked; just nodded politely when Emma mentioned needing to find a place to clear her head and start over. Emma knew being a new face in a small town would stir up some attention, but she didn’t want her business floating around the town until she was ready to give it. Saying you packed up your life because you got fired on your birthday and you may be attracted to a stranger you met on the internet, who just so happens to be the town’s mayor, was not something she was willing to let them know. Oh, and don’t forget, her ongoing search for her kidnapped son. If that didn’t scream headlines, what would? Besides, Emma knew from experience how people could be one way over the internet, but something entirely different in person. She hadn’t met Regina in person yet and had wanted to wait until she talked to her again before she tried to see her, but a part of her couldn’t help but feel excited.

Ruby helped her load up the backseat of her car with the deliveries, handing her the drink tray with Regina’s and Dorothy’s coffee orders, piping hot against Emma’s palm. With the addresses safely tucked into her jacket pocket with Ruby’s note for her girlfriend, Emma pulled away from the curb and headed towards Main Street, hoping the butterflies in her stomach liked Granny’s food as much as she did.

* * *

 

_“Miss Mills, your coffee order has arrived.”_

Regina jumped slightly at the sound of her receptionist’s voice coming through the intercom on her office phone, having completely absorbed herself into the city’s monthly budget accounts for the last half hour. She cleared her throat and smoothed out the wrinkles in her silk dress shirt before pressing the button on her phone to reply.

“Thank you, Dorothy. Just send them in please.” She immersed herself back into her work, frowning at the second expense report for vandalism down by the docks.

 _I have_ got _to find a new Sherriff._ She thought to herself, the sound of her office door opening barely registering in the back of her mind. As footsteps shuffled closer to her desk, she absentmindedly pushed a coaster forward on her desk for the coffee to be placed on, still not looking up from her papers.

“Just place my coffee there, Ruby. Thank you.”

“Regina?”

Regina’s hand paused, the tip of the pen stopped halfway through her signature at the sound of her name. Hardly anyone in the town called her by her first name—at least not to her face—and the ones that did didn’t belong to the gravelly, yet feminine, voice that had just spoken it. Raising her head, she locked gazes with eyes that reminded her of sunlight reflecting through shards of green sea glass.

Regina rose from her chair, smoothing out the invisible wrinkles on her skirt to disguise the fact that her hands had suddenly gone clammy. “Emma Swan?”

Relief washed over the blonde’s face, her posture relaxing as she stuffed her free hand in her back pocket and smiled.

“Hey.”

“Hi.” Regina felt herself smiling too, happy her face had gone on autopilot while her brain was trying not to short-circuit. The woman was gorgeous without even trying; green eyes framed under dark lashes, milky, white skin against golden curls cascading loosely over her shoulders and down her back, jeans hugging shapely hips, a sculpted ass, and toned legs. All that paired with the deep gravel in her voice that sparked a heat inside of her, Regina was sure she’d be blushing if she stopped to think about it. But instead all she could think was: “What are you doing here, in Storybrooke?”

Emma smirked at her, a mischievous light in her eyes. “Oh, you know, just doing some research on someone—I mean, some _thing_ that caught my interest.”

The corners of Regina’s lips twitched in amusement. “I see you do extensive research, Miss Swan.”

“Well, I am a cop. It’s kinda what I do.”

Regina just smiled again, sitting down and gesturing for Emma to take a seat. As if suddenly remembering she was holding her coffee, Emma quickly set it down, a faint blush on her cheeks.

“I’d love to stay and chat,” she said, looking torn and throwing glances at the door. “But I promised I’d make some other deliveries for Ruby in exchange for some easy change and a free meal. You know, Granny’s burgers might be better than the ones in Boston!”

Masking her disappointment, Regina finished signing her name on the paper she had started when Emma came in. “I wouldn’t say that to people when you get back to Boston, Miss Swan. I don’t think they’d take too kindly to being told they’re not ‘the best.’”

Emma’s smile faltered for a split second. “Actually....I’ve moved.” Regina met Emma’s eyes over her desk. “To here. Storybrooke.”

For the second time that day, Regina’s mouth opened in surprise. She had moved here? Why? Surely it couldn’t just be for Regina. What about her job? Her friends? Her family? Did she have friends and family? Regina had researched into her, yes, but she didn’t look much further than recent photos and information in her About Me section on Facebook. Yep, that’s right; Regina Mills is a Facebook stalker.

Emma shuffled uncomfortably from foot to foot, unsure of what to say in the face of Regina’s shocked silence. Was she unhappy that Emma was here? Did she think she was too forward?

 _I probably should have gone about this conversation in a different way._ Emma thought. _I don’t have time to talk about everything. I’m already late for my next delivery!_

“Well, I guess I’ll see you around or something, Regina.” Emma moved towards the door, trying as hard as she could to keep from bolting from the room. Her hand was on the knob when Regina snapped back to attention, her eyes focusing on the paper in front of her and an idea popping into her head so fast, her mouth moved before she even had time to process the words.

“Miss Swan, wait!” Emma paused in the doorway and turned her head towards her. “How would you like to be Storybrooke’s new Sherriff?”

* * *

 

“Thank you, ladies.” Emma smiled at the nuns again, raising the hand that clutched the five dollar tip they had given her in the air in acknowledgement. “Have a good afternoon!”

Returning to her car, she slid into the driver’s seat and let out a deep sigh, leaning forward to rest her head on the steering wheel. The Convent of the Sisters of Saint Meissa had been her last delivery for the day and the exhaustion of driving around a city she barely knew, talking to people she knew even less, was starting to wear on her patience. Opening her eyes, her gaze fell upon the gold badge and the small, silver key in her cup holder. Picking it up and leaning back in her seat, Emma ran her thumb over the small, six-pointed star and what accepting it could really mean. When Regina had offered her the job this morning, she’d been shocked to say the least. She had barely stuttered out a response before Regina had pulled the badge and the small key from one of her desk drawers, crossing the room and holding them out for Emma to take.

_“I know this is sudden, Miss Swan, but I would like for you to think about my offer. There’s no pressure.”_

_Emma blinked a few times in response, a small voice in the back of her mind telling her to close her mouth instead of gaping like an idiot. She snapped her jaw shut with an audible “click” of her teeth and looked down at the items in Regina’s outstretched hand. “Re-Regina, I don’t...I’m not...um”_

_She could feel Regina’s smirk without looking up. “Just take the key and check out the place when you’re done this morning. I’ll be by after three to discuss it further with you.” Regina’s empty hand reached for Emma’s hand that wasn’t on the doorknob. “Here.”_

_Emma’s eyes widened, her lips parted in surprise—and something else—as a jolt went through her body from scalp to toes at the woman’s touch. Green eyes met deep, brown orbs in silent question, but the faint blush spreading across olive-toned cheeks gave Emma all the answers she needed at the moment. Regina fingers curled Emma’s around the badge and key, both of her hands wrapped gently around the blonde’s, lingering a little longer than necessary before she dropped her hands and folded her arms across her chest, breaking the moment._

_“Uhm, yeah. Okay. Yeah, will do.”_

Emma groaned, smacking her head against her headrest at the memory of her not-so-smooth exit of the mayor’s office. She had no idea what that feeling had been when Regina touched her earlier. Actually, that was a lie; she had _some_ idea, but that was crazy, right? She’d only just met the woman in person for the first time today. Sure, she and Emma had been talking back and forth over the past two months, so they did know a bit about each other, and yeah, Emma had to admit that the mayor was fucking _sexy_ _as hell_ , but could she actually see herself pursuing the mayor? Yeah she’d moved here on a whim for her, but that wasn’t the only reason she’d left. She’d wanted to get out of Boston for a while, she just didn’t know where the wind was blowing her.

And what about the mayor? Could a woman that immaculate, that _perfect_ , really want to get herself tangled romantically with the mess that is Emma Swan’s life? Even if the answer was yes, it’d been a _long_ time since Emma had been on a date, even longer since she’d been in an actual relationship. Did Emma even remember how to be in one? The fact that Regina was a woman didn’t matter. Emma had never labeled herself, and she wasn’t about to start now. She let out another deep sigh, jamming her keys haphazardly into the ignition and starting it up. She pulled away from the curb and rummaged in her pocket for the post-it note Dorothy had scribbled the station’s address onto, finding it and smoothing the wrinkles out so she could read the small, black letters.

It only took her about five minutes to pull up outside the one-story brick building, avoiding the parking spot marked “Sheriff” on purpose and parking instead in a space marked “visitor.” The windows were all dark and the parking lot was void of cars. Emma wondered absentmindedly just how long the town had been without a functioning police department as she approached the front doors and pulled the silver key from her pocket. Letting the door swing open soundlessly, she stepped into the lobby, squinting in the dim lighting through the windows of the front doors. She found a light switch and flicked it on, stepping fully inside and closing the door behind her, leaving it unlocked for Regina’s arrival.

The lobby consisted of a small receptionist’s desk to one side of the room across from a cluster of hard-backed chairs around a small coffee table with old magazines piled on top. The room ended in a hallway that turned a corner, and Emma headed that way, turning on lights as she went. The hallway was lined with various doors that led to interrogation and viewing rooms, a set of bathrooms, and the occasional closet or breakroom, each door separated by a long wooden bench. The end of the hall turned left into a large room where the officers would do their work. Three holding cells lined the back wall watched over by the two empty desks in the center of the room. A door behind them led into the sheriff’s office, easily visible through the large window that let them keep an eye on the room, but still allowed some privacy when attending to important matters.

It was in this room that Emma found herself, fingers trailing lightly over the smooth wood of the desk, deep in thought. A map of Storybrooke on the wall behind the desk caught her eye and she stepped closer to examine it. Without thinking, she pulled the badge from her pocket and rubbed her fingers across the engraved lettering, warring internally over which decision to give Regina.

“Excuse me, Miss, but this building is not open to the public.”

Emma whirled around, startled. She’d been so lost in her thoughts, she hadn’t heard anyone approach her, but she quickly schooled her features to hide her surprise. An older man in a long black coat stood in the doorway, a cane grasped firmly in his hands and positioned in front of his body. His long hair brushed his shoulders and his brows were knitted ever so slightly in his confusion over her presence. Emma didn’t know why, but even though the man seemed well-kept, she couldn’t shake the slimy feeling she felt just looking at him.

“I know. The mayor gave me a key.”

A small smile creeped over the man’s lips and Emma felt her metaphorical hackles raise in warning.

“Ah, now why would our lovely mayor just give a stranger a key to the sheriff’s station? Are you quite sure you didn’t break in, dearie?”

The man’s smile was meant to be intimidating, his head tilting towards her as he scrutinized her like a bug under a microscope. But that didn’t work with Emma Swan. She didn’t crack under intimidation; no, she rose to meet it. She would not be pinned under anyone’s thumb, and she didn’t care who this man was, she was not going to cower in his presence.

Emma rolled her shoulders back and crossed her arms over her chest, thrusting her chin in defiance. The man’s eyebrow twitched upward in surprise at her posture, but his face became unreadable at her words. “No need to break in when you’ve got the key.”

She held the key up to show him before re-crossing her arms and settling her weight back on her heels. A smirk spread over her lips at his expressionless face, no doubt he was unused to people standing their ground with him, as the click of heels on linoleum met her ears.

“Gold,” came Regina’s sultry voice from the other side of the door. “to what do I owe this pleasure?”

Emma managed to keep the smirk from growing wider on her face at Regina’s obvious disdain for the man in her tone. Emma couldn’t see the woman well due to the door frame, but she could only imagine the look on her face as Gold turned to acknowledge the mayor.

“Ah, Regina.” Emma’s shoulders tensed at the man’s careless use of Regina’s first name. “I was just inquiring as to why a complete stranger was wandering around the sheriff’s station and seems to be under the impression that you gave her a key?”

“That’s right. Miss Swan has been offered the job as Sheriff, if she is accepting.”

That creepy smile was back. “Storybrooke has to elect their Sheriff, Miss Mills.”

“Not if the position has been empty for over six months,” Emma could hear the smile in Regina’s voice. “then the mayor, that’s me, can appoint a Sheriff of their choosing.”

Gold’s smile slipped a little before he plastered it back on full force. “Well then, it seems it was my mistake. If everything is in order, I will leave it in your capable hands, for now.” He moved to push past Regina to leave. “Regina, Miss Swan.” He nodded to each of them in turn and limped down the hallway. Emma’s eyes never left the man’s back until he was out of sight, her posture relaxing as Regina stepped into the room.

“I’m sorry about him, Miss Swan. I do hope he didn’t cause you any trouble. Mr. Gold owns a lot of the property in this town, including this station, so he holds a lot of sway, but sometimes he tends to _overstep_ his boundaries.”

Emma frowned at her words, taking in her expression. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, her back straight and shoulders rigid, but her eyes held her disdain for the man, and Emma couldn’t help but wonder what other trouble Gold could cause for the mayor. Or what he had already caused.

Her arms unfolded from her chest, one hand slipping into her back pocket while the other hand grasped the badge. All of her earlier thoughts over taking the job rushed back to her, clouding her mind as they all jumped for attention.

“So, have you considered my offer?”

Emma thought about it. She thought about Gold, she thought about her jobless state, her homeless state, the towns obvious need for some law. She thought about her son, she thought about fresh starts and past mistakes. And then, she thought of Regina. The woman’s concern, her willingness to help, her rigidity towards Gold, the bitterness in her voice speaking of past encounters, but mostly, she thought of rich, chocolate brown eyes, full red lips, soft, dark waves in a choppy cut that ended just above the shoulders, soft olive skin brushing her hand, and a jolt of something unexplored washing through her body.

“Miss Swan?”

Emma lifted her head and green eyes met brown. “Emma. Call me Emma.”

A small smile tugged at the corners of Regina’s lips. “Emma....”

Emma smiled, ignoring the goosebumps raising on her arms as Regina tried her name out on her tongue. “And yes, I have considered your offer.” She smirked again at the nonchalance on the brunette’s face, but her eyes held a glimmer of hope. Fingers curling decidedly around the six-pointed star, she clipped the badge onto her belt.

“I accept your offer, Madame Mayor.”

Regina smiled. “Welcome to Storybrooke, Sheriff Swan.”

Emma rolled her eyes at her playful tone and turned to the desk. She took a seat in the large, rolling chair and spread her palms out flat on the desk, drinking in the fact that it was now hers. The click of heels signaled Regina’s approach. She pressed her palms upon the desk as well, inches from Emma’s fingers, and leaned forward, the top few buttons undone on her gray, silk blouse and revealing an ample amount of cleavage and a scrap of black lace. Emma swallowed the lump forming in her throat and forced herself to meet Regina’s eyes.

“Oh, and Emma? Would you like to come to dinner at my place tonight? It’s no Granny’s, but I promise the food will be delicious.”

 _Swallow._ Emma nodded. “Yeah, sure, Regina.”

Red lips parted in a smile, revealing perfect white teeth. “Wonderful.” Regina leaned back, stepping over to the door where she had left her briefcase and purse. “My place. Seven o’clock. 108 Mifflin Street. It’s a white house, you can’t miss it.”

With that, Regina spun on her heel and left the office, the sound of her heels clicking on the linoleum as she went. “See you tonight, _Emma_ ,” her voice floated down the hallway behind her, and it was only until the sound of the front door clicking shut reached her ears did Emma let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Emma groaned, leaning back in the chair— _her_ chair—and covered her face with her hands.

_Regina Mills is going to be the death of me._


	3. 108 Mifflin Street

* * *

Excerpt:

> Watching Regina take her first bite with all the elegance of a queen, Emma tried to be the perfect table guest, but all that went out the window the moment the food hit her mouth. “Holy Batman! Fuck, Regina, that’s good!”
> 
> Regina’s eyes widened at Emma’s outburst, her fork halfway to her mouth. She looked stunned, to say the least, and Emma was mentally slapping herself. It was safe to say it had definitely been a while since Emma had been on a date.
> 
> _I guess impressing her with my table manners is out_.

* * *

 

 

Emma was in trouble. She was standing in front of the bed in her room at Granny’s Bed & Breakfast, staring down at all the clothes she owned and realizing none of them would be suitable enough for dinner at Regina’s. As Ruby so graciously pointed out when she had stopped by earlier before her shift down in the lobby, being invited to the mayor’s house was a “big deal” and she needed to look presentable.

_“You’re going where?!”_

_“Mayor Mills invited me to her house,” Emma replied, laughing out loud at Ruby’s bug-eyed expression._

_“How did_ that _happen?!”_

_Emma rubbed her neck nervously, looking at her clothes strewn across the bedspread. “It’s nothing major. She offered me a job as Storybrooke’s new Sheriff and I accepted. I’m sure that’s what this is about. Like a welcome and a this-is-what-I-expect-from-you type of thing.”_

_“You’re our new Sheriff?” Ruby asked, crossing the room to look at her small collection of clothing._

_“Yeah, I worked as a detective for over five years back in Boston.”_

_Ruby made a non-committal noise in the back of her throat, having moved on to Emma’s shoe selection, which was somehow even more limited than her clothes. “Well, you need to wear something nice, but not too fancy. Not many people get invited to the mayor’s house, so it’s kind of a big deal, in a way.”_

_Emma frowned, taking note of the twinge of jealousy in the brunette’s tone. Did Ruby like Regina? Or was she just envious because she’d never been invited to her house?_

_“Well, I have to be there in about an hour so I need to get ready.” Ruby nodded, crossing back to the doorway. “I’ll leave you to it then. Good luck tonight. And Emma?”_

_Emma hummed at her name, turning to look at her._

_“Don’t be late.”_

That was twenty minutes ago, which meant she now had roughly forty minutes to finish getting ready and make the drive to Regina’s. Standing there, clad only in her underwear, bra, and white tank top with hands balled into fists and resting on her hips, she stared down at her entire wardrobe as if waiting for the perfect outfit to magically appear. She sighed in frustration, reaching forward to sort through her clothes with slightly lower standards this time, shooting for decent instead of perfect. Her fingers settled on the dresses she owned first, all practically tailored to fit her body and resting above her knees.

_Not appropriate for this kind of dinner._

Tossing those aside, she looked through her blouses and t-shirts, cursing herself for not having time to do laundry on the ones that might have actually worked. Sighing, she crossed to her suitcase to look at her jacket collection, hoping that planning an outfit around one of them would be easier than waiting for inspiration to strike. She tossed her red leather jacket onto the bed, moving aside brown, yellow, and several shades of black leather until she found it. It was the perfect color; like a slate grey-black leather, and it wasn’t a jacket, it was a sleeveless mini dress.

“Aha! I wondered what happened to this!” Excited, she ran back to the bed, grabbing a pair of black leggings and pulling them on, yanking her tank top over her head and tossing it on the bed. Slipping the dress on, she stepped into the bathroom to fix her curls, brush her teeth, and put in her classic pearl earrings. Returning to her room for shoes, she slipped on a pair of black leather calf boots, opting out of the pair with a skinny heel.

_Probably best to_ not _let Regina know I’m the type of person who stumbles over her own two feet for at least the first few times she sees me._

Checking the time, she had twenty minutes to make it to the mayor’s house. Perfect. Grabbing her red leather jacket from the bed, she slipped it on and studied herself in the long mirror, satisfied with her appearance and blessing whoever her parents were that she had good enough skin to be able to wear minimal makeup, usually just some mascara and the occasional lipstick. She looked hot, and she knew it, but it was subtle enough that, to anyone else, she didn’t appear to be going on a date.

Emma frowned, _Is this a date?_

Grabbing her keys and stuffing her wallet and cell phone into her jacket pocket, she stepped out the room and locked it behind her, taking the stairs two at a time. Luck was on her side when she reached the lobby; Ruby was tied up in a phone call. The brunette shot her a thumbs up as she passed before turning back to the phone conversation. Emma waived a goodbye and headed for her car parked on the street.

Plugging ‘108 Mifflin Street’ into her GPS, she jammed the keys into the ignition and listened to her old car hum to life. _Well, I guess we’ll find out._

Emma pulled up in front of the large white house— _mansion_ —and instantly wondered what she’d gotten herself into. Large white columns on the porch, neatly trimmed apple tree, immaculate yard, and a Mercedes parked out front; Emma suddenly felt like she’d be a speck of dirt in the neatly organized life of Regina Mills. On second thought, she had literally just met the woman this morning. Emma knew from experience how people can be completely different than how they portrayed themselves on the internet; finding out too many people she had to track down were using photos scanned from a Playboy or Victoria’s Secret magazine. But she knew Regina, right? She had never asked for a photo of Regina, as she had never predicted their contact would lead them to here. In hindsight, she probably should have, especially after packing her entire life, however small, up and moving to a new town with absolutely no plans. What the hell had she been thinking?!

_Way to go, Swan. What have you gotten yourself into this time?_

She sat in the driver’s seat, staring at the front door of the mansion and going back and forth with each argument in her head, when there was movement out the corner of her eye. A downstairs curtain fluttered back into place. There was no going back now; she’d been spotted. Emma sighed, shutting the car off and getting out before making her way through the gate and up the walk to the front door. She half expected the door to swing open as she stepped up to it, but when it didn’t she rang the doorbell, hearing the chimes echo through the large house accompanied by the sound of heels clicking on hardwood floors.

If Emma had any more thoughts of leaving still lingering, they vanished into thin air as Regina swung the door open. She was dressed in a deep blue dress that hugged her curves and stopped five inches above her knee. Two silver zippers were the only details, one on her waist and the other running over her left hip and down to the end of the dress. This zipper was partially open, revealing more of one of the slender, olive-toned legs that ended in a pair of six inch heels that made Emma mentally groan. Regina’s mouth was stretched into a radiating smile, red lips parted over dazzling white teeth.

Regina’s smile changed into a smirk and Emma realized she’d been standing there speechless for over a full minute while she very obviously checked the brunette out. Blushing, she rubbed the back of her neck and averted her gaze, noticing that the floors were, in fact, hardwood beyond the foyer.

“Hello, Regina.”

“Hello, Miss Swan.”

“It’s Emma.”

“I’m aware.”

The mirth in her voice was obvious, and when Emma met her eyes again, there was that infuriating smirk stretching the woman’s beautiful features. But it was the playful spark in chocolate brown orbs that had Emma’s nerves melting like ice cream in the summer, and Regina was the hot sun, washing over her skin and warming her from the inside out.

The mayor stepped aside to let her in and Emma gazed around at the grand house, impressed. Offering to take the sheriff’s coat, Regina tried not to let her gaze linger on toned, fair-skinned arms or the way the blonde woman’s dress hugged her every curve. If she had let it linger, she would have noticed Emma’s own confident smirk.

“I hope you like lasagna.” Regina said, leading them into the dining room and gesturing for Emma to take a seat. “I’ve been told it’s the best in the world.”

Emma lowered herself into a chair and smiled at her, “The best in the world, eh? Who gave you that lofty title?”

“Why, Henry, of course.”

Emma nodded, “Your son, right? Where is he tonight?” Then she frowned, as if catching herself. “If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”

Regina smiled at Emma’s consideration, and the fact that she remembered Henry’s name, as the sound of the stove timer buzzed from the kitchen. “He’s visiting my parents upstate.” She called over her shoulder, stepping from the room to fetch the lasagna out of the oven, “He’ll be back at the end of next week.”

Emma nodded. Then, realizing Regina couldn’t see her, “I’d love to meet him sometime!”

Re-entering the dining room, Regina set the hot dish down on a trivet and watched Emma’s eyes widen slightly at the sight of all that bubbling cheese in front of her. She placed the towel she used to hold the hot plate down onto the table as she took her seat across from Emma. “Hungry, Miss Swan?”

Emma’s mouth opened to respond but her stomach beat her to the punch, the low growl filling the small stretch of air between them. Cheeks reddened and brilliant white teeth flashed as Regina began dishing out the food and pouring them each a glass of wine.

_Dear body, we’ve had 28 years together. Could you play it cool one night with Regina, please?!_

Pushing her mental pep talk aside, Emma turned her attention to her plate and breathed in the delicious aroma. “It looks great, Regina.”

“Thank you, Miss Swan. Please, dig in.”

Watching Regina take her first bite with all the elegance of a queen, Emma tried to be the perfect table guest, but all that went out the window the moment the food hit her mouth. “Holy Batman! Fuck, Regina, that’s good!”

Regina’s eyes widened at Emma’s outburst, her fork halfway to her mouth. She looked stunned, to say the least, and Emma was mentally slapping herself. It was safe to say it had definitely been a while since Emma had been on a date.

_I guess impressing her with my table manners is out_. She had just opened her mouth to apologize when the most wonderful sound hit her ears. Laughing; Regina was laughing. Emma felt her cheeks redden for the umpteenth time that night as she watched Regina’s nose wrinkle from her laughter.

“Why thank you, Miss....Emma, I have never received such a heartfelt, yet....colorful compliment.” Regina’s smile was bright enough to blind the sun, and just like that, the ice was broken; all jittery nerves had dissipated, and conversation flowed freely and easily for the remainder of the meal.

After dinner, Emma insisted on helping Regina clean up the kitchen and wash the dishes, despite the brunette’s protests. Regina washed and Emma dried, and when all had been cleaned, they moved into the living room, all the while talking about this or that, just to keep the conversation going just a little bit longer. When they had settled on the couch, fresh wine in their glasses, Regina dared to ask the question that had been burning in her mind since she first saw Emma in her office.

“So.... _Emma_ ,” Regina started, swirling the wine in her glass as an attempt to hide her curiosity. “What’s the real reason you packed your life up and moved out to Storybrooke?”

Emma stared down into her own glass, in thought, before answering. “Do you want the honest reason I’d give my new boss, or the honest reason I’d give the Regina I know?”

“To be honest, I’d hope you would always be honest with me as Regina, not the mayor.”

Green eyes rose to meet brown and held their gaze. It was a long moment before Emma spoke, never once breaking eye contact. “Yesterday afternoon, I quit my job for personal reasons I don’t know if I can talk about yet. I hope you can respect that,” Emma paused and waited for Regina to nod before continuing. “I went home to my apartment, lit a candle for my birthday, and I looked around and realized I was suffocating there. I turned 28, had just quit my job, still searching for my now 10 year old son....and just, as I thought about blowing out that candle on another year, with no one to celebrate with, no relatives around, no friends, the sounds of the city moving around me at lightning speed, I felt like I was suffocating; like I was sitting still while the rest of the world moved forward without me.”

Regina swallowed the lump she felt forming in the base of her throat but didn’t dare say a word for fear of being unable to get Emma to open up like this again. As Emma released her gaze to set her glass on the coffee table before continuing, Regina realized she had set her own down at some point as well.

Emma felt a bundle of nerves rise in her chest at her next words, so she laid her eyes on Regina’s hands folded neatly in her lap. “But you know, just when I felt like screaming, I realized something. I did have someone out there who was my friend. Maybe I’d only ever spoken to her over the computer, but that was enough for me to know that she was kind, thoughtful, so damn smart, but also such a smartass!” Regina chuckled and Emma gathered the courage to meet her eyes again.

“So, I decided I needed to get out of Boston. Nothing was tethering me there. In fact, I still had boxes half packed. And sitting there, thinking about it, the only thing keeping me sane was talking to you. So I got up, threw my stuff in some boxes, and drove into town late last night. And....that’s it.”

Regina chuckled. “That’s it, huh?”

“Yep. My mind is an enigma!”

With the seriousness of the moment broken, Emma relaxed again, grateful Regina hadn’t wanted to bolt at the idea that she had packed up her life on the small relationship they had formed over the internet and moved out here near her. Emma was used to people bolting in her life, but somehow, Regina bolting was not something Emma thought she’d be able to handle so well.

They talked for a little while longer before Emma realized it was getting late and Ruby was probably beside herself waiting for Emma to return. Regina followed her to the door and retrieved her coat from the hall closet. Helping Emma into it, she was about to let Emma leave when she felt the question leave her lips.

“Do you regret your decision?”

Emma paused, her hand on the doorknob. “To move here?” She turned to face Regina but her expression was unreadable.

“Yes, to move here. It’s a pretty big step, Miss Swan, to move out here. I am happy you’re here, I just want you to be as well. I do hope your move wasn’t disappointing.”

Emma chuckled and reached for Regina’s hand, feeling that same tingle from when they touched before. “Me? Happy?” She chuckled again. “Regina, I moved here and I met someone I’d been dying to meet. Happy? I’m ecstatic. Because not only is she kind, thoughtful, smart, and extremely witty,” Emma paused briefly to ponder her next words.

_Oh, just jump, Emma!_

Emma stepped closer to Regina, still holding firmly to her hand before she continued. “She’s also a wonderful cook, a bit of a spitfire, and I don’t even have to meet her son to know she’s a wonderful mother. And she has this confidence that makes my knees just a little bit weaker, a smile that makes my brain go a little fuzzy, a figure that raises my body temperature every time she moves...”

Regina’s breath hitched as Emma stepped even closer, her eyes locked on green sea glass with no intention of looking away. “What else?”

Emma took that as an invitation to move that last step closer, Regina’s waist on fire where Emma’s arm wrapped around to pull her closer. “Well, she’s got these deep, chocolate brown eyes that I could lose myself in, and this mouth...” Emma’s hand let go of Regina’s as she brought her free hand up to brush her thumb across the scar on Regina’s top lip. “It has these gorgeous lips with this little scar that I want to explore...”

“Then...why don’t you?” Regina whispered.

Emma’s eyes flicked up from her lips to her eyes as if she wasn’t sure she’d heard her right, and then she closed that last breath of distance between them. The kiss was unlike any Regina had ever had before. Emma’s hold on her waist tightened, pulling her closer until she could feel the swells of the blonde’s breasts through her dress and the slight friction caused by the meeting of their hips. Regina brought her hand up to run through blonde tresses as she felt Emma’s tongue brush across her scar and she let out a soft moan that Regina swore was one of the sexiest things she’d ever heard. She brought her hands to tangle in Emma’s hair at the back of her neck as she deepened the kiss, both letting out a throaty moan at the white hot jolt of arousal that shot from their mouths right down to their core. Regina felt herself being moved backwards until her back hit the wall, one of Emma’s hands planted next to Regina’s head on the wall while the other held her firmly in place by the hips.

They broke away for air as the sound of the old grandfather clock in the study struck midnight. Emma peppered kisses along Regina’s jaw to her ear, her breathy chuckle tickling Regina’s neck and driving her wild. “I need to go before this goes any further and I won’t be able to stop. But you, Regina, could never disappoint me.”

A small shiver ran down Regina’s back as Emma stepped away and crossed to the door. Regina sighed, “I hate to admit it, but I think you’re right, Emma. Though I must say, I would have very much enjoyed it.”

Emma opened the door and stepped out onto the porch chuckling, but when she turned back to say goodnight, her eyes were darkened with her arousal. “I’ll remember that. I had a great time tonight. Goodnight, Madame Mayor.”

“Goodnight. Oh, and Miss Swan?” Emma turned her head back to look at Regina from her place hallway down the walkway. “Do come back, dear.”

Emma’s grin was bright in the moonlight. “You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry i've been gone so long! but I am back. not sure how regularly ill be posting at first, so bear with me, but I will be posting!
> 
> comments appreciated! good or bad!


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